Python: Strange sort of list of numbers

Python Programming Puzzles: Exercise-97 with Solution

Write a Python program to find the following strange sort of list of numbers: the first element is the smallest, the second is the largest of the remaining, the third is the smallest of the remaining, the fourth is the smallest of the remaining, etc.

Input:
[1, 3, 4, 5, 11]
Output:
[1, 11, 3, 5, 4]

Input:
[27, 3, 8, 5, 1, 31]
Output:
[1, 31, 3, 27, 5, 8]

Input:
[1, 2, 7, 3, 4, 5, 6]
Output:
[1, 7, 2, 6, 3, 5, 4]

Pictorial Presentation:

Sample Solution:

Python Code:

#License: https://bit.ly/3oLErEI

def test(nums):
    if len(nums) < 2:
        return nums
    result = []
    for i in range(len(nums)//2):
        result.append(min(nums))
        nums.remove(min(nums))
        result.append(max(nums))
        nums.remove(max(nums))
    if len(nums) > 0:
        result.append(nums[0])
    if len(result) < 2*len(nums):
        result.extend(nums[len(result) // 2 + 1:len(result) // 2 + 1 + len(nums) - len(result)])
    return result
  
nums = [1, 3, 4, 5, 11]
print("Original list of numbers:")
print(nums)
print("Strange sort of list of said numbers:")
print(test(nums))
nums = [27, 3, 8, 5, 1, 31]
print("\nOriginal list of numbers:")
print(nums)
print("Strange sort of list of said numbers:")
print(test(nums))
nums = [1, 2, 7, 3, 4, 5, 6]
print("\nOriginal list of numbers:")
print(nums)
print("Strange sort of list of said numbers:")
print(test(nums))

Sample Output:

Original list of numbers:
[1, 3, 4, 5, 11]
Strange sort of list of said numbers:
[1, 11, 3, 5, 4]

Original list of numbers:
[27, 3, 8, 5, 1, 31]
Strange sort of list of said numbers:
[1, 31, 3, 27, 5, 8]

Original list of numbers:
[1, 2, 7, 3, 4, 5, 6]
Strange sort of list of said numbers:
[1, 7, 2, 6, 3, 5, 4]

Flowchart:

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Python Code Editor :

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